Farewell Lynne's Lens

-
We were saddened last week to learn about the loss of a dear friend, Lynne Rostochil. She quietly lost her battle with cancer on November 7, 2019.

Lynne was well known in the historic preservation community. With a passion for modern design rooted in her genes (her grandfather was the respected architect R. Duane Conner) she crusaded for some of Oklahoma's finest "underloved" buildings. She even wrote a book about it!  Oklahoma City's Mid-Century Modern Architecture was released in 2017 and features archival images from the Oklahoma History Center (where she volunteered) as well as her own photography.

Her popular photostream on Flickr is a staple for any self-respecting Umbra chair owner. She was constantly snapping roadside architecture, ghost signs or shots of buildings many people would consider ugly. Some of those photos would form the backbone of a blog called Okie Mod Squad, created to support a group of casual gatherings that began in 2009. Those casual gatherings eventually became a popular Facebook community, and civic force for change when historic structures were threatened with demolition.


The most recent battle continues today over the iconic First Christian Church, an effort close to Lynne's heart as it was designed by her grandfather. She was even honored with her own day, "Lynne Rostochil Historic Preservation Day" by the Oklahoma City Council.

A memorial service will be held at Quail Creek Golf and Country Club on Sunday, November 17th at 2:00 PM.

Okie Mod Squadders discover the magic of Tulsa's hidden Bertoia sculpture in 2013.
From left: Matt Goad, Terri Sadler, Shane Hood, Lynne Rostochil and Robin Arn (hidden). 



Comments

Post a Comment

Most Popular Posts

Your Modern Bathroom. Complete.

-
Image
One of the coolest things about a Sixties house is all the nifty built-in stuff.  The Revolving Toothbrush Command Center Our favorite built-in features is a revolving toothbrush holder. That chrome door in the bathroom looks like a secret panel when closed. But rotate the magic metal marvel and a veritable oral hygiene command center is revealed! These convenient accessories were popular in the Fifties and Sixties. A company called Hall-Mack offered an entire collection of bathroom built-ins to make your modern life easier. Our house also has a couple of their classic Tow'lescope retractable towel bars (which look like a horizontal radio antenna when extended over the sink). The most rare of all though is the fold-down bathroom scales! But I digress.
Read more

The World Museum

-
Image
The widening of I-44 through Tulsa will soon claim another mid-century building (see Modern Homes Make Way for I-44 ). This unusual landmark near Peoria, once known as the World Museum, is being emptied in preparation for demolition. The concrete complex was built in 1963 by the Osborn Ministries as a museum and "Interstate Temple." Self-proclaimed minister, T. L. Osborn, and his wife, Daisy, traveled the world as Christian missionaries and collected art and artifacts on their journeys. The unusual La Concha-esque building housed their partial collection and distracted motorists touring along the new Skelly Bypass (aka I-44). The exterior of the building is adorned with maps of the world's continents. In its heyday there was a good deal more- a giant outline of Jesus was on one wall. The inscription below it, "REX," provided one of my earliest Latin lessons when I asked Dad why that building had my name on it. There was also a large globe that once stood out fr
Read more

Home of ORU Architect on the Auction Block

-
Image
Frank Wallace is best known as the man behind the futuristic look of the Oral Roberts University campus. On October 14, 2010 his unique home overlooking ORU will be sold in a public auction conducted by Mister Ed's Auctions . Jackie and I recently had a chance to visit with Mr. Wallace and learn more about the house, his career and his thoughts on architecture. When we visited we expected to snap a few photos of an empty house and speak with a representative from the auction company. To our surprise the door opened, and we were greeted by Mr. Wallace himself! After assuring him we were not architects, he let us look around. Unfortunately we were not prepared to interview the man whose buildings incite such extremely diverse reactions- but that didn't stop me from asking him several questions anyway.  The home, completed in 1980, was designed and built by Wallace who is now 87. The expansive home is so large that Wallace spends most of his time in a room that was his la
Read more